Meet the New Face of Manufacturing

Lauren Checea

AWFS has launched a campaign called “Meet the New Face of Manufacturing,” to dispel outdated myths about jobs in manufacturing and attract more young people to the industry. The goal is to increase the number of students who consider manufacturing as a viable career, thereby impacting the number of individuals coming into the workforce.

It is time for the wood and related industries to “make some noise” and market themselves to students as we push back against a mindset that assumes all kids go to college or that hands-on classes such as woodworking are not relevant in today’s world or that someone who goes to college won’t or shouldn’t consider manufacturing in their career options. AWFS is intent on sharing what 21st century manufacturing really looks like and providing information on careers, the industry skill standards and more.

Employee engagement begins with leaders showing that they value their people and that they are willing to spend time and resources helping them capitalize on their strengths. However, studies show tha...